


Jewels In The Crown III: Fragments

by BradyGirl_12



Series: Jewels In The Crown [3]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Wonder Woman (Comics)
Genre: Alexandria - Freeform, Amazons - Freeform, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Angst, Art Exhibits, Boston, Boston Museum Of Fine Arts, Canon Het Relationship, Challenge Response, Challenges, Christianity, Drama, Egypt, Established Relationship, F/M, Het, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Libraries, Library of Alexandria, Massachusetts, Mentioned Sappho (fl. 600 BCE), Museums, Mystery, Paganism, Poetry, Religious Fanaticism, Romance, Series, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:07:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25962580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BradyGirl_12/pseuds/BradyGirl_12
Summary: An important archeological discovery leads Diana and Steve to the Library of Alexandria site in Egypt.
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman)/Steve Trevor
Series: Jewels In The Crown [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/71687
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3
Collections: BradyGirl_12 DCU Challenges (2011), Wonder Woman Love Challenges (2011)





	1. An Amazing Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> Claim: For the Challenge [(Diana/Steve)](http://bradygirl-12.livejournal.com/355507.html)  
> Prompt: T 10; P 26: Library Of Alexandria  
> Prompt Count: (14/15)  
> Warnings: None  
> Original DW/LJ Dates Of Completion: July 4, 5, 6, September 5, July 24, 2010  
> Original DW/LJ Dates Of Posting: August 2, 5, 8, 14, 24, 2011  
> Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.  
> Original DW/LJ Word Count: 1117 + 1038 + 991 + 1161 + 1220 = 5527  
> Feedback welcome and appreciated.  
> Author’s Notes: Also written for my [2011 Wonder Woman Love Fic/Art 70th Anniversary Celebration Challenge](http://community.livejournal.com/wonderwomanlove/80698.html) and my [2011 DCU Fic/Art Steve/Diana Challenge](http://bradygirl-12.livejournal.com/760936.html).  
> This series deals with Diana’s Amazon heritage and can be found [here.](http://bradygirl-12.livejournal.com/351242.html)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The curators of the Boston Museum Of Fine Arts make an amazing discovery.

_The mists_  
_Of mystery,_  
_Swirl about,_  
_Sweet_  
_And_  
_Alluring,_  
_Like Aphrodite,_  
_In all her glory._

  


**Sappho**  
**_"The Mists Of Mystery"_**  
**336 B.C.E.**  
**(Discovered September 27, 2011 C.E.)**

  
Curator Jamie O’Reilly and Assistant Curator Alia Cassadine eagerly uncrated their latest exhibit, scheduled to be unveiled next week. The Boston Museum Of Fine Arts had scored another coup, the first museum in America to show the Alexandria Collection. The Egyptian Government was sending the mix of Greek and Egyptian artifacts on tour, showcasing the cosmopolitan culture of the ancient city.

“These antiquities are exquisite,” said Alia, her violet eyes lighting up as she carefully lifted out a Greek bust. “The Queen will be one of the finest pieces in the entire exhibit.”

“Is that Hippolyta?” Jamie’s sky-blue eyes held excitement as he looked over at Alia.

“That’s right.”

“Wonder Woman will surely want to see it.”

“Isn’t she coming to the exhibit opening?”

“Yes.”

“She’ll be a great attraction.”

“She’s a true patron of the arts.”

Jamie took the bust from Alia. A little over six feet tall, he was blond and closely resembled his old friend, Steve Trevor.

Alia’s raven hair was the same color as Wonder Woman’s, and she was nearly as tall, though model-thin instead of the statuesque curves of the Amazon. She wore her hair in a neat bun, pushing her glasses up her nose as she studied a Grecian urn. Setting it aside, she reached further down into the crate with a cellophane-gloved hand.

Jamie was grateful that he was wearing casual clothes. This was dusty work! He ran a hand through his hair. Maybe they should take a break.

“Oh, my god.”

Jamie looked over at his colleague. “What is it?”

Alia was holding a stone tablet. It shook slightly as she said, “This is a complete Sappho poem!”

“What?” Jamie hurried over to her side. “Sapphic poems are only found in fragments and have to be pieced together.”

“Usually, but I’m telling you, this is a complete Sappho poem!”

“That wasn’t on the manifest, not to mention the buzz that previously-undiscovered Sappho poems would create.” Jamie looked at the tablet. “Her signature!”

Alia nodded, the name carved in the stone at the bottom of the tablet. “I’d recognize her work even without the name.” Violet eyes shone.

“Looks like we’ll have an A-1 exhibit in addition to Wonder Woman.” Jamie touched the Greek letters of Sappho’s name. “We’d better authenticate this, though. It could be a hoax.”

Alia nodded reluctantly. “Let’s call Helena Karpetelis at the Boston Athenaeum.”

& & & & & &

Steve hit the ‘send’ key and his report was on its way to General Darnell in Washington. The phone rang and he picked up the handset. “Jamie, hi, what’s up?”

“Can you and Wonder Woman come over to the museum today?” 

“Sure. Is five o’clock okay?”

“Perfect. See you then.”

After saying goodbye, Steve hung up, pondering what his old friend had in store for him and Diana. They had enjoyed some wonderful adventures in the past. He held down the switch of his intercom.

“Would you come in here for a moment, Diana?”

“Certainly, Major.”

Lieutenant Diana Prince was a model of efficiency: crisp, competent, and cheerful. A mischievous spark twinkled behind her glasses as she smiled at Steve.

“Jamie just called. He wants Wonder Woman and me over at the museum. Five o’clock good for her?”

“Does he want to go over Wonder Woman’s appearance at the exhibit next week?”

“I detected an undercurrent of excitement in his voice.”

Her smile grew wider. “Barring emergencies, I believe the Amazon Princess can join you.”

Steve laughed. “I’m glad.”

Diana winked as she walked back to her desk.

& & & & & &

Steve and Wonder Woman arrived at the museum precisely at five o’clock, the Amazon’s boot heels clicking on the polished floor. They met Jamie and Alia in Jamie’s office.

“Thank you for coming,” Jamie said. “May I introduce Professor Alia Cassadine, who just joined the staff. Her specialty is Greek antiquities.”

Alia’s excitement at meeting Wonder Woman showed in her eyes as she shook hands with the Amazon. Jamie and Steve exchanged a smile.

“What’s going on?” Steve asked Jamie.

“Come with us.”

In one of the restoration rooms, a cloth covered a bulky object on a table. Jamie walked over and carefully removed the cloth.

“A beautiful piece,” said Diana, bending over to read. “Wait, this is…”

“Yes,” Jamie said proudly.

“What?” Steve asked.

“It’s a Sappho poem!” Diana said excitedly.

“Sappho?” Steve came closer.

Diana nodded. “One of the most revered poets of ancient times. She is revered as the finest poet amongst the Amazons.”

Steve looked over the stone. “Looks like Greek to me.”

Jamie and Diana groaned, Alia frowning. Steve winked at Diana. “Sorry, guys.”

Jamie rolled his eyes. “Diana should drop you like a bad habit, old buddy.”

Steve smirked as he lightly touched Diana’s arm. “Is the poem one of her finest works?” 

“It certainly appears to be. It is an undiscovered poem. I am familiar with all of Sappho’s known works.”

“This is a great discovery for you, Jamie,” said Steve, proud of his friend.

“It’s an amazing find, but all I did was back up Alia.”

“And I just opened the box.” Alia gazed lovingly at the tablet.

“This is a whole poem, not just a fragment,” Jamie said.

“This is amazing.” Diana closely studied the tablet. “It appears genuine. I suppose you have authenticated it?”

”Yes,” Jamie said. “Helen Karpetelis was brought in.”

“Would you like further confirmation?” At the curators’ puzzled looks, Diana elaborated. “My mother.”

& & & & & &

The excitement of the evening continued when Steve and Diana arrived home. Steve grinned as Diana’s blue eyes shone.

“It is a magnificent find, Beloved. Sappho is one of history’s finest poets.”

“A great symbol for the Amazons, you said?”

Diana nodded. “Sapphic love is highly prized on Paradise Island.”

Steve smiled. “No surprise there. Is Sapphic love practiced due to inclination or lack of opportunity for non-Sapphic love?”

“Mostly inclination, though I suppose some are due to the latter.” Diana smiled and traced a finger along Steve’s cheek, tickling his ear. He grinned and grasped her hand, kissing the fingers as she drew him to her.

“And my history is pretty mixed,” Steve said as Diana wound her arms around him. “I practiced more Theban Band than anything before I met you.”

“I, too, enjoyed my own gender in matters of the heart before I laid eyes upon you.”

Steve laughed gently. “Ironic, hmm?”

Diana lifted him slightly. “An irony I appreciate, my love.”

“Love is love, eh?”

She nodded, planting him back firmly on the floor.

“Love me now,” Diana breathed.

Steve happily complied.


	2. By The Grace Of Sappho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana brings Sappho’s poem to Paradise Island.

_"Lo,_  
_Her raiment_  
_Is as the sun,_  
_Gossamer shining,_  
_As she grants_  
_Her children_  
_The gift_  
_Of love."_

  


**Sappho**  
**_"The Mists Of Mystery"_ **  
**** **_336 B.C.E._**  
**(Discovered September 27, 2011 C.E.)**

“Daughter, a pleasure to see you.”

“Always the same for me as well, Mother.”

The women embraced, and Queen Hippolyta looked at her daughter with curiosity. “And what brings you home on this fine day?”

Diana smiled. “I need your expert opinion on something.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.” Diana hopped back up into her invisible plane and brought out a large metal box. “May we go to the garden?”

“Of course.”

Once in the garden, Diana opened the box and carefully lifted out the tablet, wrapped in a cloth. Once revealed, the Queen gasped.

“Diana, what is this?” Hippolyta’s hands hovered over the tablet.

“Do you not recognize Sappho’s style, Mother?”

Hippolyta read the poem, her eyes misting. “My dear Sappho always had a way with words.”

“So it is authentic?”

“Very much so.” Hippolyta looked at Diana. “Where did you find this?”

“It was in a shipment of artifacts to the Boston Museum Of Fine Arts.”

“Interesting.” Hippolyta sat on a stone bench. “So it must return with you to Boston?”

“Yes. I must return it tomorrow. Jamie wishes to make the announcement before the exhibit next week.”

“Then we must display it for all Amazons to see tonight and tomorrow morning.”

“A fine idea.” Diana sat next to the Queen. “Our people will appreciate such a fine work.”

“Our ideals are closely tied to Sappho’s.” Fond memories played in Hippolyta’s mind. “We have lived by Aphrodite’s Law and Sappho’s Grace for centuries now.”

“All fine guidelines.”

“And how is your Major?” 

“Very well.”

Diana enjoyed the breeze that blew through her hair. The ocean sparkled beneath them, the Royal Gardens located on a high point of the island.

“What was Sappho like, Mother?”

“She was an engaging woman.” Hippolyta’s eyes began to register old memories. “She was always laughing and enjoying life. She loved the arts, and sang and danced and played the lute.”

“She sounds like a fine companion.”

Hippolyta nodded, a slight smile on her lips. “She worshipped Aphrodite in all things.”

Diana smiled and squeezed her mother’s hand. 

“She put on plays, and our circle acted in them. She was always welcome among the Amazons. She inspired our Sisters to reach down and tap their own creativity.” 

The crunch of sandals on gravel signaled an approaching Amazon. Medea appeared, her auburn hair disheveled as she saluted Hippolyta.

“The training went well, my Queen. Princess, a pleasure to see you.”

“Hello, Medea.,” said Diana warmly.

“A rare treasure has been brought to us, Medea,” said Hippolyta.

Medea looked at the tablet, eyes widening. “Is this…?”

“Yes.”

Medea knelt to get a better look. “This is…amazing!”

Diana and Hippolyta smiled at their friend’s enthusiasm. “Agreed,” said the Queen. “Take this tablet and set it up in the Palace. Spread the word that we have it for…"

"…twenty-four hours,” said Diana.

“Yes, before it returns to Man’s World.”

Medea frowned. “It should stay here. Man’s World has no appreciation of Sapphic love.”

“Some do,” Diana demurred.

“Excuse me, Princess, but is not Sappho and the love she preaches disparaged in Man’s World?”

“All too often, but things are changing.”

Medea waved her hand dismissively. “I have no interest in the affairs of males. Amazons follow Sappho in every way.”

“Mostly,” Diana agreed.

Medea looked at her sharply. “Yes, not all.” She rose and picked up the tablet reverently. “I will make all the arrangements, my Queen.”

She stalked off, and Diana said ruefully, “She will never accept my relationship with Steve.”

“No.”

Diana looked at her mother, who was tending a plant. Would her mother ever fully accept it, either? Sighing, she broached a different topic.

& & & & & &

The line stretched out endlessly along the marble steps and into the street below, the Amazons excitedly chattering among themselves as they waited their turn to view the poem. One Amazon brandished a book that contained all of Sappho’s works. She read aloud while an appreciative audience listened. Someone else played a mouth instrument and an impromptu dance sprang up.

Diana was happy to see such joy. By no means was all sweetness and light here in Paradise, but her sisters were always eager to experience joy, a fresh counterpoint to the careworn Man’s World.

“’Shimmering throne/Immortal Aphrodite/Daughter of Zeus/Enchantress/I implore thee/Spare me, O Queen, this agony and anguish/Crush not my spirit.’”

Diana listened to the reading. Always the language of Sappho soothed and excited.

“Princess, you brought us this find!” called out an Amazon.

“It is my pleasure to bring such a treasure.”

“We should keep it here,” said another Amazon.

“Perhaps it will one day end up here. It goes on exhibit next week in Boston.”

“They do not appreciate such a treasure!”

“Perhaps they will learn to.”

Skepticism greeted this statement, but the Amazons were respectful of their Princess.

Diana walked down the line, chatting as she went. Eventually she ended up in the Palace, entering the room where the tablet was on display.

“What a pleasure to view a complete Sappho poem in its original form, instead of just fragments,” Mala said.

“It is a great discovery.” Diana read the poem, delighted with the flow of language.

“I thought that her works had been lost when the Library of Alexandria had been destroyed centuries ago.” Mala shook her head. “I remember hearing about it soon after it happened. Such foolish, ignorant people.”

“Unfortunately, many religions encourage their followers to despise any other faith than their own.” 

“But the Library was a center of learning, not a temple.”

“Ah, but the early Christians mistrusted Pagan learning as well as the various religions.”

Mala frowned. “Is it not the same today?”

“Paganism certainly faces prejudices,” Diana admitted.

“Well, let us hope the ignorant gain enlightenment soon,” said Mala, clapping Diana on the shoulder.

“Let us hope.”

As Diana watched her sisters joyfully observe the artifact, she wondered about what Mala had said: with the famous Library destroyed, were there any more of Sappho’s works to be found intact?

It was certainly something to ponder.


	3. Solarium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The exhibit opens and protesters flock to the Boston Museum Of Fine Arts.

_May the light of Olympus_  
_Shine down upon thee,_  
_As love’s shining ribbons_  
_Entwine thy heart_  
_And soul._

  


**Sappho**  
**_"The Mists Of Mystery"_**  
**336 B.C.E.**  
**(Discovered September 27, 2011 C.E.)**

  
The announcement about the newly-discovered Sappho poem created a huge stir in the literary and art worlds and beyond. It was one of the hottest searches on the Internet, and ticket sales for the exhibit increased. The buzz was exactly what the museum had hoped for…though the backlash was not entirely unexpected.

Anti-gay spokesmen and groups denounced the new addition to the exhibit, and more than a few fundamentalist churches strenuously objected, railing against ‘Pagan lesbians’ and their ‘godless immorality’. One reverend vowed to picket the museum.

Jamie increased security, mindful of past incidents. The tablet was placed behind glass and alarms set all around it, a guard placed on each side.

Ignorance was on the prowl.

& & & & & &

After a long day, Diana and Steve ordered in Chinese food and sat on the couch, the television volume on low.

“The chicken is delicious.” Diana speared a peapod with her chopsticks.

“It sure was a helluva day.” Steve picked up his beer bottle and took a swig. “Let’s hope there isn’t a crime wave in Boston tonight.”

“It certainly is not Gotham.”

“Thank the Goddesses for small favors.”

Diana laughed and ate another piece of chicken.

“Hey, the museum’s on the news.” Steve turned up the sound. A pretty red-haired reporter dressed in a green suit began to speak.

 _“We’re here outside the Boston Museum Of Fine Arts as members of The Church Of The Word, protesting the newly-discovered poem by Sappho. Reverend McCain, can you tell us what the protest’s about?”_

The Reverend Lee McCain was a tall, slender man with raven hair and piercing brown eyes. His suit was expensive, silver cufflinks winking in the sunlight.

_“Well, Miss O’Shea, it’s fairly obvious. My fellow congregants and I object to that homosexual harlot as the centerpiece of this exhibit.”_

_“You speak rather harshly about Sappho, Reverend.”_

_“The harlot’s very name is representative of the heinous sin of lesbianism.”_

_“So you intend to picket during the length of the exhibit?”_

_“We certainly are. Someone has to take a stand. My congregation can’t stand by while this filth is permitted to be freely exhibited.”_

Chants of _“God hates homos!”_ and _“Close the exhibit!”_ could be heard in the background as signs were brandished: **Sapphic Love = Filth, The MFA Are Homo Lovers,** and **Send The Homosexual Harlot Back To Greece!**

Steve muted the sound. “I’m sorry, Angel.”

“You are not at fault, Steve.” She sighed. “It appears that ignorance lives on.”

Steve nodded sadly.

& & & & & &

The protesters were just as vicious in person. Wonder Woman swept past them in her long star-spangled skirt and cape, Steve at her side in his blue dress uniform. A party and special preview was being given for elite members of the museum.

They did their best to ignore the hate-contorted faces and words, Wonder Woman coolly serene, and Steve putting on his best professional face despite his seething emotions. He could tell that Diana was angry, too, but she always maintained that persuasion had to be calm.

_You’re a wonder, Angel._

Inside the cool interior of the museum, a young red-haired guide greeted them.

“Welcome, Wonder Woman, Major Trevor. This way, please.”

“Thank you, Erin,” the Amazon said.

Pleased that Wonder Woman knew her name (she probably read the name tag), Erin walked with an extra bounce in her step.

The room in which the reception was held was beautifully-decorated with flowers and plants, a small fountain bubbling merrily in the center. Waiters circulated with trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres, and a chamber trio from the New England Conservatory of Music played softly in a corner.

Heads turned immediately, Steve proud of his beautiful Angel, and he escorted her to greet Jamie and Alia. She needed no escort, of course, but Diana had once said, ”And why would I not want a beautiful man by my side?”

Steve smiled. Leave it to his Angel to make him feel good. 

Jamie played escort next, introducing them to the members attending the party. Some were familiar, as Wonder Woman and Steve had met them before at similar functions.

The couple separated to mingle, and one matron said, “Dreadful, those protesters out there.”

Most of the museum’s patrons agreed with the women, disdainful of the protesters as they sipped their champagne and ate assorted tidbits of ‘healthy’ food: vegetables and crackers and other clever concoctions.

“Typical of the uneducated,” a Boston University professor sneered. His brown hair was disheveled but his beard was neat. Gold-rimmed glasses framed hazel eyes that brimmed with contempt.

“Perhaps, Professor…?” Wonder Woman asked.

"Brenner, Albert Brenner. My specialty is Ancient History.”

“So you appreciate Sappho?”

“Very much.” Brenner took a sip of champagne. “I’m surprised you aren’t angry, Wonder Woman. Don’t the Amazons revere Sappho?” 

“We do.”

“And yet you’re in a relationship with a man?”

“Love knows no gender, Professor.” Diana’s smile was serene as she walked away.

“Quite a party, eh, Angel?” Steve murmured as they met by the entrance to the solarium. 

“Yes.” Wonder Woman glanced behind her. “I wish to go to the exhibit hall before the others.” Steve nodded, and they left to walk down the corridor.

The exhibit’s objects glittered under the muted lightning. Busts, statues, armor, weaponry, vases, and jewelry were all arranged to their best effect, with some of the most intriguing objects being Egyptian stele, the colors still distinguishable after centuries, though faded.

The Sappho poem rested on a red velvet-draped stand under glass. Wonder Woman stood before it, Steve at her shoulder.

_“’May the Light of Olympus/Shine down upon thee/As love’s shining ribbons/Entwine thy heart/And soul.’”_

“She was a talented poet,” Steve murmured.

“Truly. Her work will live on.” Diana’s head inclined toward the museum entrance. “Despite the hate.”

Steve squeezed her shoulder.


	4. Suffering Sappho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battle lines are drawn at the Exhibit.

_To suffer the slings and arrows_  
_Of those whose minds are narrow,_  
_Is what those who love in different shades_  
_Must endure, as human nature parades._

  


**Sappho**  
**_"The Mists Of Mystery"_**  
**_336 B.C.E._** _  
**_(Discovered September 27, 2011 C.E.)_**_

____  
Diana greeted the eager throngs as they filed into the exhibit hall. She was dressed in her regular costume, pleased at the eagerness to view the poem.

Outside, museum security and the police were keeping the patrons and protesters separated. Inside, the line was watched closely. 

Suddenly, a man in his twenties shouted, “We shouldn’t be exhibiting such filth!” and pulled out a small hammer from his jacket pocket, ready to smash the glass case surrounding the tablet. 

Wonder Woman moved as swiftly as Hermes, grabbing the man’s arm and yanking her Golden Lasso free from her belt, pushing the vandal down and trussing him up neatly as the man sputtered, “Get your hands off me, man-hating Amazon bitch!” 

“Truly, I do not hate men, though sometimes I pity those like you whose hearts are filled with hate.” 

He sneered at her but one of the visitors cried, “You’re a pig! Trying to destroy the poem and dissin’ Wonder Woman!” 

The crowd agreed as the security guards grabbed the vandal, handing over the scuffling man to the police, who had run in from outside when one of the staff had alerted them. 

“Sorry about that, Wonder Woman,” Jamie said as he ran up, distress on his handsome features. 

“It is not your fault, Jamie.” 

“I know, but…” 

Wonder Woman put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “It is the way of some men that they harbor hatred in their hearts.” She shook her head sadly. 

Once the attacker had been hauled out away, the line began moving again. The security guards watched everyone like a hawk, Wonder Woman also keeping an eye on the visitors as she smiled and answered questions. 

There was a commotion outside. Several visitors turned and frowned. The door was opened for a returning guard and chants of “Down with Sappho!” “Down with sinners!” 

A middle-aged woman close to the tablet rolled her eyes. “Give it a rest,” she muttered. 

Diana smiled. 

“Is Sappho one of your heroes, Wonder Woman?” asked a teenage girl. 

“Oh, yes. Her beautiful poems and insights into love are much treasured.” 

“Because she’s a lesbian?” asked another girl, frowning as she folded her arms. 

“That is part of it.” 

The girl’s frown increased. Her friend rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind her, Princess. Her father’s a real homophobe.” 

“Will, it _isn’t_ natural,” huffed the other girl, pushing back a strand of chestnut hair from her eyes. 

“Of course it is,” Diana said. “All things in nature are natural.” 

The frowning girl looked unconvinced. “If it’s so natural, then why can’t two men or two women make babies?” 

Her friend put her hands on her hips. “Plenty of heterosexual couples don’t have kids, Ann.” 

“Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t.” 

The other girl threw her hands up. Several people were frowning at her friend. 

“It’s useless,” declared the exasperated girl. 

Wonder Woman smiled gently. Addressing the frowning teenager, she said, “You should open you mind to life’s possibilities, my young friend.” 

“I’m not your friend,” Ann muttered. 

“Be that as it may, life is full of wonders. Leave yourself the opportunity to enjoy them.” 

“I don’t consider depravity to be a ‘wonder’.” 

C’mon, grumpy, let’s go,” said her friend, dragging the girl away, who protested, “Caroline! Quit it!” 

“Twit,” said a thirtysomething woman as she drew closer to the exhibit. 

Wonder Woman looked over at the retreating teenagers, sadness flickering over her lovely features. “Intolerance is a blight,” she murmured, too soft for anyone to hear. 

& & & & & &

When Wonder Woman left the museum a few hours later, she was bombarded by hisses and catcalls from The Church Of the Word protesters. Shaking her head slightly, she approached Lee McCain, the tall preacher looking smug as he said, “Good afternoon, Wonder Woman.”

People waiting in line on the front steps watched the confrontation with avid interest.

Wonder Woman studied the patrician face of the Reverend. He was dressed in a charcoal-gray suit with a gray silk tie against a white shirt. His followers brandished their hateful signs, the Amazon wondering how their souls did not shrivel under such a burden.

“So, Amazon, are you here to preach?”

“No, I believe that is your purview, Reverend.”

“Come now, Wonder Woman, you preach all the time. Don’t you oppose good Christian folk?”

“Not at all. Many tenets of Christianity are worthy of respect.”

“But not all?”

“Of course not. No religion is perfect.” She smiled. “Neither are the Gods.”

“God is.”

Her smile remained serene.

“Why don’t you go back to your Lesbos Island, Wonder Whore!” sneered a neatly-dressed young man.

“Now, Carl, no need to be insulting,” said McCain.

Wonder Woman crossed her arms, her full height as an Amazon impressive. Her stars-and-striped cape fluttered gently in the breeze.

“I respect your right to a different opinion, Reverend, but your aggressiveness is not welcome.”

“We’re only exercising our constitutional rights, Princess.”

His constant smug expression grated on Wonder Woman, but she kept her face impassive. She had faced down Gods. A smug preacher would not get to her.

“Sappho was well-respected in the Ancient World.” 

“No doubt. The world of the Greeks and Romans was Pagan in nature.”

“Quite so.”

McCain cocked his head to one side. “You seem pleased with that notion.”

“Why would I not be?”

“Paganism is a corrupt way of life. When Christianity came to us, the world knew salvation.”

Wonder Woman kept her irritation from showing as she said, “That, of course, is your opinion.” 

“Oh, yes.” He smiled. “Would you care to be saved?”

“Saved?” Wonder Woman smiled. “I am in no need of saving, Reverend. Aphrodite has been good to me.”

“A Pagan Goddess?”

“Yes.”

McCain waved his hand dismissively. “There is only one true God, and only one way to live a good, moral life.”

The Amazon crossed her arms. “There is room for all beliefs, Reverend, preferably not fueled by hate.” She nodded toward the protest signs and walked away.

“You tell ‘im, Wonder Woman!”

“What a stuck-up prig!”

“Wouldn’t mind if you showed him some Amazon discipline!”

Diana remained in deep thought as she made her way to meet Steve, who had just arrived. 

“I heard about what happened,” Steve said softly. He frowned. “Hard to believe there are people with attitudes like that.”

“Yes, I know, my darling.”

Steve looked at her, speaking gently. “What is it, Angel?” 

Her pensive expression turned into a small smile. “You know me well, Beloved.” She faced him. “I wish to go to Alexandria." At his quirked eyebrow, she elaborated, “I must see where they discovered Sappho’s poems.”

Steve took her hand. “I’ll go with you.”

She raised their joined hands and kissed his fingers. “I shall be honored, my love.”


	5. The Mists Of Alexandria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana and Steve encounter strange happenings at the excavation site in Egypt.

_Do not weep for me,_  
_Stars of my heart._  
_I have known love_  
_And the joy of the sun._

_I bow before the throne_  
_Of Shining Aphrodite_  
_And know that my place_  
_On Olympus_  
_Is mine to claim._

  


**Sappho**  
**_"The Mists Of Mystery"_**  
**336 B.C.E.**  
**(Discovered September 27, 2011 C.E.)**

  
Diana stood in the middle of the ruins, absorbing the atmosphere that was heavily laced with the whispers of centuries.

In her mind’s eye she saw the great Library, gleaming white with is Ionic columns, rows upon rows of scrolls neatly arranged on shelves that reached up to the ceiling. Scholars from everywhere in the known world studied parchment, sitting at marble tables.

A tall, blond woman glided among the stacks, her flowing white chiton rustling softly along marble floors.

_Hypatia._

The Chief Librarian was the guardian of knowledge, serene and with an intellectual spark that gave her equal footing with the finest minds of her time.

_Until they stripped you naked and flayed the skin from your bones with tiles and pieces of shell and killed you, then burnt your body at Caesareum, their great church, simply for guarding Pagan treasures of knowledge._

Diana recalled the horror in her mother’s voice when she had first told her the story. Hypatia had been a good friend. It had further shored up Hippolyta’s belief that the Amazons were far better off hidden from the world on their island.

“The world embraces darkness and ignorance,” she had said, and many Amazons were inclined to agree with her.

Diana watched the vision in her mind as she breathed in the ancient dust, the light streaming from the sun slightly different. Of course, it had been a much younger sun in those days and the ozone layer was unharmed.

She absorbed, listening to the sounds of a scholar as his rich voice recited a poem of Sappho’s, not just a mere fragment but complete.

& & & & & &

_Shimmering-throned, immortal Aphrodite,_  
Daughter of Zeus, Enchantress, I implore thee,  
Spare me, O Queen, this agony and anguish,  
Crush not my spirit. 

& & & & & &

Diana held out her hand, and mere seconds later, a warm hand grasped hers. She smiled.

Steve remained quiet, following her lead. Diana closed her eyes again. The vision swirled around, soft-lensed and cottony, eventually fading. When it was gone, she squeezed her lover’s hand.

“Wow.”

She turned to him. “You saw it, too?” At his nod, she smiled. “We are much in tune, eh?”

Steve laughed. “Always.” His eyes were shining. “Was that Hypatia who you told me about?”

“Yes.” Sadness drew a veil over her eyes. “It is a sorrowful thing, to think of how she died.”

Steve squeezed her hand gently. “I’m afraid that religious intolerance has never gone out of style,” he said softly.

She sighed, squeezing his hand back.

For several minutes they stood in the ruins, then a noise attracted their attention. Someone was approaching.

“Professor Lang! Thank you for coming.” Diana held out her hand.

“Of course I’d come, Wonder Woman.” The professor shook her hand, then Steve’s. He was a tall, ruddy redhead, dressed in khakis and a pith helmet.

“You made an amazing discovery.”

“It is amazing, isn’t it? No full poems of Sappho’s work exists in the modern world.”

“I must study this site.”

“Certainly.” Lewis Lang cocked his head. “Are you all right, Wonder Woman?”

She nodded and moved to another section of the ruins.

“Is she?” Lewis asked Steve.

“She is,” said Steve, hopeful that he was right.

& & & & & &

Diana was restless, but after a good dinner and good conversation, she felt better. Lewis Lang was an interesting storyteller, and his daughter Lana would have been mortified by some of the stories told, Diana thought with a smile.

After they retired for the night, she and Steve settled on their cot in the tent that Lewis had given them. Close to the site, Diana was determined to get an early start in the morning. She fell asleep in Steve’s arms.

& & & & & &

_Diana awoke and frowned. She heard strange voices. Glancing down at Steve, she saw that he was still asleep. She deftly untangled herself from his embrace and walked outside in her long, white nightgown._

_Surprised at the fog enveloping the excavation site, she strained to identify the noises._

_Shouts and curses. Trouble!_

_She moved swiftly through the fog, dark hair loose and flowing, barefoot, yet every inch an Amazon._

_The fog swirled around her, parting just enough to see sandstone buildings and a gleaming, marble structure with Ionic columns. A mob was gathered outside the building, and a golden chariot rumbled down the street. Diana recognized the blond woman at the reins._

_“Hypatia,” she whispered._

_The mob shouted, “Pagans! Sinners! This library is full of filth!”_

_The mob moved into the library with torches, the sound of papyrus ripping while other scrolls were set afire, sickening Diana. Marble busts of philosophers and poets were smashed as scholars were chased out by the mob._

_Diana felt as if she was moving through molasses, her limbs too heavy to move. She wanted to scream a warning to Hypatia but no sound came out._

_One of the ringleaders saw the chariot and pointed. “There is the Whore of Alexandria, purveying her filth. Do not let her corrupt our godly people!”_

_The mob set upon the chariot, dragging Hypatia into the street by her long, flowing hair, tearing at her long, shimmering chiton._

_Diana pushed forward with Herculean effort, grabbing Hypatia after cutting a swath through the mob, desperation fueling her great strength._

_The two women ran, the howling mob at their heels. The fog closed around them until no more sound could be heard._

_“Hypatia, we must get you out of the city,” gasped Diana._

_“Hippolyta?” Hypatia’s eyes were wide._

_“No, I am her daughter, Diana.”_

_“You look just like her!”_

_“I am flattered.”_

_“Thank you for saving me, but you must go.”_

_“I must get you to safety.” She thought of Hypatia's fate and felt sick._

_A small, sad smile curved Hypatia’s lips. “Changing what must be is always dangerous.”_

_“But…”_

_“Go, Princess.”_

_Hypatia pushed Diana into the fog, cool tendrils of mist curling around Diana’s body._

_“Hypatia!”_

_Diana’s screams echoed in the fog, bouncing off in all directions as the mist closed in around her, the mob’s voices becoming louder…_

& & & & & &

“Angel!”

Strong hands gripped her shoulders as Steve shook her. 

“Wha…?”

“Diana!”

She shook her head. The fog was gone, and she was standing in the middle of the ruins with Steve, who was clad in light-blue pajama bottoms.

“Are you all right?” he asked in concern.

“I…am not sure.” Her eyes snapped wide open and she grabbed his arms, not noticing his wince. “Hypatia!” Diana whirled, searching frantically.

“Diana, what’s wrong?”

She looked at him in sorrow. “I saw Hypatia being attacked, Steve.”

He swallowed. “Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?”

She shook her head. “I was there. I got her away from the mob, but I fear they found her again.”

He pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back as she trembled. The moonlight limned their bodies as Steve gently led Diana back to their tent.

Behind them a white marble building shimmered in the moonlight, fragments breaking apart and dissolving into rubble as flames leaped up to the sky.


End file.
